INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — If the Seattle Seahawks had secured one more victory or the Los Angeles Rams had dropped one more close game down the stretch, the NFC West rivals' meeting on Sunday could have been a one-game showdown for the division title and a playoff berth.
Instead, the Seahawks (9-7) are playing out the string in their first back-to-back non-playoff seasons in 15 years, while the primary concern for the Rams (10-6) is staying healthy for the postseason.
Matthew Stafford won't be in uniform and many additional starters probably won't play much for division champion Los Angeles in what's merely a tuneup for its wild-card round home game next week. The Rams have won five straight games, and they are headed to the playoffs for the sixth time in eight seasons under coach Sean McVay, who clinched his fourth NFC West title last week through the strength-of-schedule tiebreaker with Seattle.
That means veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will be running the show in his first appearance for the Rams.
“I’m always trying to make decisions that I think are best for our football team,” McVay said. “It might not be best for everybody else, but if you said risk-reward, I think it’s a great opportunity for Jimmy to be able to play. I think it’s also an awesome opportunity for Matthew to be able to get rested, rejuvenated and ready to roll for the playoffs.”
The Rams have won three straight and 11 of their last 15 over Seattle, which fell out of the playoff race when Washington's victory over Atlanta last Sunday clinched the division for the Rams.
Although their organization's controversial decision to fire perennial winner Pete Carroll didn't immediately send them back into Super Bowl contention, the current Seahawks made it clear they aren’t planning to take their foot off the gas.
“The focus is on really closing the year out the right way and starting (2025) the right way, too,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “So it’s not what we wanted to be at stake, but it is what it is, and we’re gonna make the most of it.”
The Seahawks echoed Macdonald’s sentiments that although the season didn’t end the way they wanted, there is still plenty on the line in Week 18. After finishing 9-8 in each of the past two seasons, the Seahawks could reach the 10-win mark for the first time since 2020, and there are several individual statistical milestones within reach, including some big paydays for quarterback Geno Smith.
“You want your guys to hit those numbers,” Macdonald said. “If it’s within your power, you’re going to try to make that come to life and create as many opportunities for those guys as possible, all within the lens of what’s best for the team and trying to win.”
Stafford won't be in uniform, with Stetson Bennett serving as Garoppolo's backup. Right tackle Rob Havenstein will also sit out to rest his shoulder injury, and he won't be alone.
If McVay's history in these games is any guide, the Rams will play their roster from the bottom up, with the best players taking as few snaps as possible, if any.
McVay also might give himself a rest: Offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur called the plays in Week 18 last year when backup Carson Wentz beat San Francisco while playing in place of a resting Stafford.
“That might be the approach that we’ll take this week,” McVay said
Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is just five catches away from breaking Tyler Lockett’s single-season receptions franchise record, a fact he says he learned two weeks ago when the Seahawks veteran approached him and told him in the locker room.
“He was like, ‘I think you’re going to break my record. I hope you break my record,'” Smith-Njigba said. “I was like ‘Oh, really?’ A special, special moment.”
While some players are protective of their record, Lockett seems ready to pass the torch to Smith-Njigba. Lockett, who is in his 10th season with the Seahawks after being a third-round pick out of Kansas in 2015, set the franchise record with 100 catches back in 2020.
“That speaks volumes,” Smith-Njigba said. “That’s just the type of guy he is. He’s going to move the bar really high and help you get there. That means everything to me. And one day, you know, I’ll be doing the same because of the culture that he has built in this building.”
Smith-Njigba also has an outside shot at the 183 yards he would need to break DK Metcalf's single-season team record for yards receiving.
Lockett's record could be broken in what might be his final game with Seattle. After restructuring his contract last year to lower his 2024 cap hit, Lockett’s cap number next season is $30.8 million, making him a logical candidate for departure.
AP freelancer Shane Lantz in Seattle contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) reacts after a defensive stop during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs with the ball as Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens (36) and defensive end Jacob Martin (55) try to stop him during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts after a defensive stop during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 872nd career goal to move 23 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record, and the Washington Capitals beat the struggling New York Rangers 7-4 Saturday.
Ovechkin has four goals in five games since returning from missing the previous 16 because of a broken left leg. The 39-year-old has 19 goals this season and is on pace to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 this spring.
Dylan Strome, Lars Eller, Andrew Mangiapane, Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas also scored against Jonathan Quick, who remains stuck on 399 career wins. Tom Wilson sealed it with an empty-netter with 37.5 seconds left, and Logan Thompson made 28 saves to compensate for giving the puck away to Chris Kreider for his goal into a wide-open net.
SHARKS 3, DEVILS 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Cody Ceci scored with 24 seconds left in the third period, and San Jose beat New Jersey.
With the game tied 2-2, Ceci’s slap shot from the point beat Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
Yaroslav Askarov stopped 28 shots for San Jose, and Markstrom made 21 saves for New Jersey.
Macklin Celebrini gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead with a hard wrist shot on his first shift of the third period, but Paul Cotter answered for the Devils.
Nikolai Kovalenko scored his first goal with the Sharks late in the first period after joining the team in a trade last month. Nico Hischier, on his 26th birthday, tied the game in the second on the power play by deflecting the puck in off a pass by Jack Hughes.
RED WINGS 4, JETS 2
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond each scored power-play goals to help lead Detroit to a victory over Winnipeg that extended their winning streak to a season-high four games.
Larkin added an empty-net goal and Alex DeBrincat also scored for Detroit. Raymond and Patrick Kane contributed a pair of assists and Moritz Seider had three assists.
Alex Lyon made 21 saves for the Red Wings.
Josh Morrissey and Nikolaj Ehlers scored for the Jets.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 of the 28 shots he faced and was held at 299 career wins for the second game in a row.
Morrissey took a puck to the mouth area in the first period, but returned after getting repairs and seemed to spark his teammates.
The Jets outshot the Red Wings 11-3 in the second period.
WILD 4, HURRICANES 0
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Filip Gustavsson made 20 saves for his third shutout this season, Marco Rossi had four assists and Minnesota beat Carolina.
The Wild improved to 16-5-2 when scoring first this season as Mats Zuccarello beat Pyotr Kochetkov on a slap shot for a 1-0 lead with 6:57 left in the first period.
Zuccarello, who also assisted on Joel Eriksson Ek’s tip-in goal on the power play in the second period, added an empty net goal with 3:46 remaining. Matt Boldy also scored in the third.
The short-handed Wild won their third consecutive game despite missing leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov (sidelined for a fifth consecutive game by a lower-body injury) and captain Jared Spurgeon (out at least two weeks with a right leg injury).
BLUE JACKETS 6, BLUES 4
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dmitri Voronkov scored two goals and Columbus beat St. Louis.
Kirill Marchenko, Adam Fantilli, Mathieu Oliver and Mikael Pyyhtia also scored for the Blue Jackets, who are 5-2-1 in their last eight. Ivan Provorov and Sean Monahan each had three assists, Zach Werenski had two, and Elvis Merzilikins stopped 29 shots.
Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou and Cam Fowler each had a goal and an assist for St. Louis, and Colton Parayko also scored. Dylan Holloway had two assists and Joel Hofer made 33 saves as the Blues lost for just the second time in six games.
The Blue Jackets twice led by three goals in a wild third period which had eight goals, including five in a 3:40 span. Voronkov capped the flurry at 7:24 to make it 5-2.
CANADIENS 2, AVALANCHE 1
DENVER (AP) — Kirby Dach and Cole Caufield scored in the shootout, Jakub Dobes had 22 saves in regulation, and Montreal beat Colorado.
Caufield had the regulation goal for Montreal, which wrapped up its road trip with a 4-2 mark.
Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves but could only stop one of three Canadiens in the shootout. Colorado had its season-high six-game winning streak snapped.
Mikko Rantanen scored his 23rd of the season at 9:01 of the first. Montreal got the equalizer from Caufield with 6:35 remaining on an odd-man rush with Nick Suzuki.
Both teams had breakaway chances in the overtime. Blackwood stopped Kaiden Guhle’s shot in the first minute and Dobes denied Artturi Lehkonen in the final minutes.
MAPLE LEAFS 6, BRUINS 4
TORONTO (AP) — Matthew Knies had three goals and two assists, Mitch Marner had a goal and four assists, and Toronto beat Boston.
Auston Matthews had a goal and two assists in his return after missing six games with an undisclosed upper-body injury, and Jake McCabe had a goal and an assist for Toronto, which has won three straight and four of five. Joseph Woll had 26 saves to win his fourth straight start.
David Pastrnak had two goals, and Morgan Geekie and Trent Frederic also scored as Boston lost its third straight and fourth in its last five games. Jeremy Swayman finished with 23 saves.
Knies gave the Maple Leafs a 4-3 lead with his 14th of the season at 5:28 of the third period, beating Swayman after taking a feed from Matthews from behind the goal. After Marner’s empty-net goal, Pastrnak added his second to make it 5-4 with less than two minutes remaining. Mathews sealed it with an empty-netter with 31 seconds left.
STARS 3, UTAH 2, OT
DALLAS (AP) — Defenseman Thomas Harley scored on a rebound at 3:01 of overtime and Dallas beat Utah.
Jamie Benn and Oskar Bäck also scored for the Stars, who have won four straight for the first time since opening the season with four wins. Matt Duchene and Wyatt Johnston each had two assists, and Jake Oettinger made 33 saves.
Matias Maccelli scored twice and Karel Vejmelka stopped 26 shots as Utah lost for the sixth time in seven games (1-4-2).
In overtime, Harley lifted the puck into the net after Vejmelka stopped a shot by Matt Duchene at the crease. It was Harley’s 21st career goal — fourth in overtime — 155 games.
Maccelli tied it 1-1 just 1:14 after Benn put the Stars ahead 16 seconds into the second period. Bäck put the Stars ahead 2-1 with 9 1/2 minutes remaining in the second, and Maccelli tied it again 3:07 later with his second two-goal game and fifth goal of the season.
Maccelli scored for the first time since Nov. 7, going 23 games without a goal. Bäck scored for the first time since Nov. 14, going 22 games without a goal.
KINGS 2, LIGHTNING 1
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe broke a tie with 5:48 to play and Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay for their fourth consecutive victory.
Mikey Anderson scored in the first period and Darcy Kuemper made 34 saves for the Kings, who shut out Tampa Bay over the final 58 1/2 minutes. Los Angeles has won 12 of 16.
Captain Victor Hedman scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 19 shots for Tampa Bay, which has lost three straight games for the first time in two months.
Hedman, who was bloodied by a puck to the head Thursday at San Jose, scored just 70 seconds after the opening faceoff in Los Angeles. The star defenseman’s powerful shot ramped off Anderson’s stick and beat Kuemper for his fifth goal of the season.
Anderson answered several minutes later with a long shot through traffic for his career high-tying fifth goal.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, SABRES 1
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tanner Laczynski scored his first goal of the season, Adin Hill stopped 23 shots and Vegas beat Buffalo.
The Golden Knights have totaled a league-high 33 points while going 16-3-1 since Nov. 21 to take over the No. 1 spot in the NHL with 57 points — leapfrogging Winnipeg, which Jets, which lost to Detroit.
Mark Stone and Jack Eichel also scored for Vegas, while Tanner Pearson added two assists.
Jason Zucker scored for Buffalo and James Reimer made 30 saves. The Sabres closed out a four-game road trip with a third-straight loss.
OILERS 4, KRAKEN 2
SEATTLE (AP) — Vasily Podkolzin and Jeff Skinner scored in the first 5 1/2 minutes and Edmonton beat Seattle for their third straight victory.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl also scored, with Draisaitl wrapping it up with an empty-netter with 1:58 left — just six seconds after the Kraken pulled goalie Philipp Grubauer for an extra attacker.
Calvin Pickard made 15 saves to help Edmonton improve to 24-12-3. Viktor Arvidsson had two assists.
Chandler Stephenson and Jaden Schwartz scored for Seattle. Grubauer made 28 saves.
Podkolzin needed just 57 seconds to put Edmonton on top, breaking down the right wing, taking a pass from Draisaitl and beating Grubauer from low in the slot.
Skinner made it 2-0 at 5:18, taking a long pass from Kasperi Kapanen and tucking it past Grubauer from the top of the crease for his seventh.
PREDATORS 4, FLAMES 1
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly had his fifth NHL hat trick to help Nashville beat Calgary for their second victory in two nights.
Justus Annunen made 31 saves a night after Juuse Saros stopped 27 shots in a 3-0 victory iin Vancouver. Rookie center Fedor Svechkov also scored and had an assist for his first career multi-point game. Filip Forsberg had two assists.
Mikael Backlund scored for Calgary, and Dustin Wolf made 24 saves. The Flames have lost consecutive games for the first time since November.
O’Reilly opened the scoring on the power play at 4:21 of the second, lifting a puck over Wolf from in close after Svechkov worked the puck out front from behind the net.
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, left, defends against Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
